2019 Spiel des Jahres Nominations

Hey folks! Spiel des Jahres nominations were announced. I figured I would list the nominations for Spiel des Jahres and a brief explanation with the type of game or game play.

Just One

Designer: Ludovic Roudy and Bruno Sautter

Type of Game: Party Game/Word Game

In this game, the majority are giving one word clues to the guesser. However, if a player writes the same word as a clue, both words are removed. Collectively, everyone is trying to guess 13 cards and get as close to 13 points as possible. So it’s a game, like Codenames, where you’re trying to be unique and descriptive with your one word clue. This game you’re using dry erase markers and writing the clue on a card secretly. Next, you’re comparing clues and then erasing the clues that are the same.

Werewords

Designer: Ted Alspach

Type of Game: Party Game/Word Game/Deduction Game

In this game, it mixes One Night Werewolf and 20 questions. Each round, players get secret identities. The mayor is revealed and is running the round. Everyone but the mayor closes their eyes. The mayor selects the magic word to cure lycanthropy. The seer sees the magic word. The werewolves get to see the magic word. Now, all players to get ask the mayor a yes or no question. The mayor answers yes or no. You have 4 minutes to guess the word correctly to win as villagers. If you don’t guess the word, everyone votes on one person who is the werewolf.

L.A.M.A

Designer: Reiner Knizia

Type of Game: Card Game

In this game, you’re dealt a hand of cards. During the game play, you’re trying to get rid of cards in your hand. You can play a card, draw a card, or go out during your turn. If you play a card, you can match the value on the face up card or go up a value. A llama card counts as a 7. Once the pile gets to 7, then it starts over again. At the end of the round, you get points equal to the different card values in your hand. If you have one 2 and three 4s, you get 6 points since you only count the 4 once. Game play goes until one player has 40 or more points. At that point, the player with the least amount of points wins.

So who is going to win? Well, I haven’t played any of these games yet. Just One looks like a fun party game. I don’t know if I’d enjoy Werewords. L.A.M.A looks like it’s up my alley though. I’d have to give my guess to L.A.M.A as that seems more family oriented and more like an actual game than the other two games. I know Codenames has won before, but Just One seems like more about the experience of playing than an actual game. Then Werewords seems like it could be too dependent on the players you’re playing with. If you have players that pick bad words or are horrible at guessing it could ruin the game. I’m going with Knizia. Let me know your pick for the winner.